zell_pop1

The old 3" beetle body works best, but yeah obviously small paddle tails can work, they are even sold by Strike King as "Red Fish Magic".

Gitzit

LC Silent Pointer in Threadfin Shad

Spro JR and Spro poppin JR to me have the best action/durability/hook up ratio.

Pflueger Supreme xt is the best spinning reel under $150. Daiwa BG is the best under $100.

I say 2500 also. I have an Eliminator, built on same platform as BG. It is only heavy by current standards, but should be expected as it is still aluminum which to me is preferable.

The CA-80 is more compact and has a smaller spool so it should cast light lures /light lines better than the Fuego. Also I do not think it has Magforce but whatever is on Lews reels at a similar price point, it is only a Daiwa reel in name. Personally though I'd just buy a Shimano SLX, it is better than the Fuego at lightweight stuff(I have and like both SLX and Fuego CT) , and is only a little more money than the CA-80, but if you need the spare change ya the CA should get the job done.

Looks like some old Hildebrandt spinnerbaits I own.

15 1/2" smallie on the tube I referenced.

1st I second the fish brain or fishidy type apps as you can see where people caught bass/walleye/crappie etc and alot are bank fishing. But basically you go to the fish and wildlife areas on the river find a spot and fish. I am from north central Indiana so I do not know the river real well but have fished some north of Knox and caught a few. I only use 4 lures for river Smallies. A white Wareagle 5/16ths spinnerbait, a 1/8ths head green pumpkin tube jig, occasionally a white 1/4 oz popper, or 4" green pumpkin Senko. If there are walleye/saugers around a 1/4 oz rattlebait too but that is rare.

Strike King 5/16ths tour grade swim jig.

Universal a white color like Sexy Shad, but for clear water LC's Gunfish/Sammy color ghost blue shad works best.

Have you tried the Kankakee River for smalljaws?

Ya the MGL spool likes lighter lines/lures than say the stock spool in a SLX reel, although a SLX is decent at finesse the way it is. I doubt it casts a 5" Senko any better, but a lighter 4" version it probably will.

I like the old VBS brakes, to me the regular SLX is a great reel for the money and the XT is not worth $30 extra. I am thinking of getting another one and adding a MGL spool for finesse.

How do you like the Elite reel? When I visit family in the Netherlands it seems like all the lakes have their own license requirements, and I want to catch some Zander and Pike sometime . What are the license requirements in Spain to catch a bass?

I saw them on ebay recently and would like to know too. Who made the blanks?

On a budget buy a used Shimano SLX, or a new reel under $99.99 that should cast light line/lures well is the Daiwa CA 80.

X2 @Spankey I have a 5"6" Premier spinning rod, much easier to use spinning IMO.

I have a SLX reel and a Pflueger Asaro reel and they both cast a 1/4oz Zell pop or G Splash with ease on a 6"4" All Star medium rod 1/4-5/8ths rod on 10lb line. So a Curado 70 should bomb them. Now I have thought of buying the MGL spool as an upgrade to that SLX just to see how much better it could be, but it is ok in stock form.

Good luck. I lost my favorite spinning set up, a 6'6" Falcon Lowrider Herm Special with a Pflueger Supreme XT Gold version reel in Geist Reservoir in Indiana in like 8-10' and never found it like a year ago. I hate spinning but I liked that set up.

If you can find one Terminator Tiny T buzz bait for crappie or a fly rod popper for gills.

A few years back a walmart had some Riverside grubs on clearance that i bought. Kind of a translucent blue color that works good on a swim jig.

Those small Booyah frog/poppers cast pretty well, just use the same equipment.

I have used a Citica E inshore fishing and had no problems. Some of the D series were saltwater versions.